How to get paid faster by clients

Why clients take long to pay

It's (almost never) bad faith. Late payments happen for three main reasons:

1. No clear deadline. If the quote doesn't say when to pay, the client puts it off. Simple as that.
2. Paying is inconvenient. If the only method mentioned is "give me a call for my banking details", the client has to message you, wait for a reply, log into their banking app, and confirm details. They put it off until "tonight" and forget.
3. The total amount feels intimidating. On a R15,000 job, the client may have the money but not want to hand it all over at once.

The good news: all three problems have solutions, and none of them require chasing the client.

Set payment terms before starting

The golden rule: agree everything before picking up a tool.

In the quote, always include: • Payment deadline (e.g. "payment on day of completion" or "50% before, 50% on handover") • Accepted methods (PayShap, EFT, or cash) • What happens if payment is late (no need to be aggressive, just clear)

For larger jobs, ask for a deposit. 30% to 50% before buying materials is common practice and no serious client refuses. It protects you from buying materials for a job that then gets cancelled.

With Prummo, you can send the quote with a payment link included. The client accepts and pays the deposit via PayShap or EFT at the same moment, without you exchanging banking details over WhatsApp.

Make payment easy

The easier it is to pay, the faster the money arrives.

PayShap: an instant payment straight from the client's banking app using just a phone number or a proxy, no need to type out account numbers. It's the fastest way for a South African client to pay you.

EFT: the traditional method. You give your account details, the client transfers via their online banking, and it usually reflects same day or next business day.

With Prummo, PayShap and EFT are both available automatically when you send the quote. The client receives the link via WhatsApp, chooses how to pay, and that's it. You get a notification the moment the payment arrives.

Ending the "I'll transfer it later" habit is the fastest way to get paid on time.

Staged payments: the trump card for big jobs

Jobs above R10,000 are the ones that delay the most. The client wants the work done but doesn't want to pay it all at once.

The solution: structure the job in stages. A deposit to secure materials, a progress payment partway through, and the balance on completion. A R15,000 renovation becomes a R4,500 deposit, R4,500 midway, and R6,000 on handover.

The best part: each stage is paid via PayShap or EFT as it's due, so you're never carrying the full risk of unpaid materials or unpaid labour for long. You're not chasing a lump sum at the end, and the client never has to find R15,000 in one go.

You don't need to "sell" the staged structure hard. Just set it out clearly in the quote and send it via Prummo. The client sees exactly what's due and when.

Practical result: more jobs approved, fewer "let me think about it" responses, and money moving into your account throughout the job instead of only at the very end.